304 PHILADELPHIA, ITS ATTRACTIONS. 



which deserve the attention of a stranger. Its extent 

 (three hundred thousand inhabitants) and regularity, 

 the number of handsome public buildings it con 

 tains, and the excellence of its public institutions 

 charitable, educational, scientific, and religious form an 

 important part of its attractions, while the hospitality 

 shown to the foreigner adds pleasure to his stay. 



The State House, in which the Declaration of Indepen 

 dence was signed the Girard College, probably the most 

 magnificent educational building in America the cele 

 brated Penitentiary, and the Fairmount Water-works, 

 are the objects which chiefly solicit the stranger s regard. 

 The Girard College, like some of the Edinburgh hospi 

 tals, is an institution for the gratuitous support and 

 education of destitute children. The founder left the 

 large sum of six millions of dollars for the purpose, and 

 the magnificent marble building has cost two millions of 

 dollars. The penitentiary is conducted on a system 

 which so far differs from that of Sing-Sing, and the other 

 New York and New England penitentiaries, that the 

 prisoners live and work in solitary confinement, are 

 unseen by each other, and unknown, except by their 

 numbers, even to the keepers. Thus they contract no 

 evil acquaintances, even by sight are not kept under 

 constant restraint and surveillance while in the house, 

 and, when they go out, may begin to lead a new life 

 without the fear of being known and recognised, or led 

 astray by acquaintances they have made in prison. 

 These are by many considered to be advantages in the 

 &quot; Philadelphia system,&quot; while the Auburn system is 

 more economical in demanding less space and compelling 

 more labour from the prisoners. The Fairmount Water 

 works have this interesting engineering feature, that, by 

 the erection of a dam across the Sclmylkill, a fall of 

 twelve feet is obtained at low water ; by means of which 

 the water of the river itself is pumped up nearly a 



